Component feeding device for automatic machines



Oct. 17, 1950 N. H. BETGE 2,525,765

COMPONENT FEEDING DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC MACHINES Filed April 22, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 (at Q P a I l I WW .1 Fwy k 3 INVENTOR. NORMAN H. BETGE.

ORNEYS.

N. H. BETGE 2,525,765 cqupomm FEEDING DEVICE Fo'n AUTOMATIC MACHINES Oct. 17, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 22, 1949 W 1!; ow

. @R NW h NM 7 mh um I l mm m. \N MN a N vw mu g W 9Q wm mm Q 6 kw Patented (jet. 1?, 1936 COMPONENT FEEDING DEVICE FOR; AUTOMATIC MACHINES Norman H. Betge, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application April 22, 1949, Serial No. 89,073

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) 3 Claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and usedby or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment of by providing an improved means of feeding the machinery.

Another object is to enhance the safety factor of ammunition handling machines by removing the possibility of accidental explosion caused by improper contact of ammunition components with one another during the feeding operation.

A further object is to provide a feeding device which will accommodate an adequate uninterrupted supply of workpieces constantly available for delivery to the machine.

Yet another object is to reduce the number of personnel heretofore, required in operating and attending automatic machinery.

A still further object is .to make possible the handling of a greater number of workpieces per labor-time unit.

The foregoing andother objects ofmy invention will become apparent during an inspection of the following specification and accompanying drawings wherein: i

Fig. l is a side view, partly in section, of my novel machinery feeding mechanism, and representing it as being attached to an automatic machine, only fragments of which are represented.

Figs. 2 and 3 are sections along lines 22 and 3-3, respectively, of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a top view, partly in section, as seen from line 4-4 of Fig. 1, the fragmentary, portions of the automatic machine on which my device is installed also being represented as they would appear from above.

Figs. 5, 6, 7 are sections along lines 55, 6-6, and 1-1, respectively, of Figl, showing how a representative workpiece is turned through 90. from the horizontal position at the inlet end of my device to the vertical position at the outlet end.

In the mass production of ammunition, such as bullets, shells, and the like, it is frequently necessary to feed live cartridge cases, i. e., cartridge cases containing a percussion primer, into a machine. It is generally expedient to maintain the cases in a vertical position with their open or mouth ends at the top so as to facilitate filling them with propellant powder and, subsequently, positioning the projectiles in the neck ends of the cartridge cases.

In the process of disassembling or salvaging ammunition to reclaim costly components, it is also necessary to feed into a machine live ammunition, i. e., ammunition equipped not only with primers but propellant powder, too. -In such operations it is likewise expedient to maintain the ammunition rounds in a vertical position, preferablywith the bullets pointing upwards, so as to facilitate pulling of the projectile from the cartridge case, yet preventing the premature escape of the loose propellant, powder from the then open, mouth end of the cartridge case. In this type of operation it is of further advantage as a safety factor to have the ammunition rounds fed side-by-side in a vertical position as opposedto conventional end-to-end feeding which presents the hazard of the projectiles striking the primer of thefiadjacent round and causing an explosion.

One example of a machine with which my invention may be used to great advantage is a Cartridge Disassembling Machine described in U. S. Patent 2,349,248 issued May 23, 1944. I have found that the efficiency of this machine could be increased if the mechanism of my present invention were provided. As that patent discloses, the liveammunition rounds are fed to the machines dial notches one by one in an upright position. This feeding has heretofore been done by hand, it being impossible to utilize conventional hoppers, feed chutes or tubes because of the risk of accidentally discharging the ammunition. Prior, therefore, to the development of my inventive feeding mechanism, the desired high speed performance; in salvaging ammunition, as well as manufacturing, was greatly hampered because it was necessary to resort to comparatively slow, frequent manual feeding of the machine. This process, besides being slow, required additional operators for the sole purpose of manually loading the machine.

Aside from the safety hazard, the chief disadvantages of prior art manual feeding systems resided in the fact that the ammunition, or other components, had to be placed into the machine ina vertica1 position, precluding the possibility of maintaining an adequate supply of workpieces available for use by the machine, since they could notbe stacked? up end-to-end. Moreover, once the workpieces were stood on end, there was great likelihood ,o f,; ,one or more becoming upset. and

a: thereby causing further hindrance to the progress of the job at hand. Furthermore, the hazard of accidentally firing the ammunition was ever present.

As the ensuing description will make clear, my novel machine loading device has eliminated the possibility of accidental firing of the ammunition, has considerably reduced the personnel required to attend and operate the machine, and has made possible increased and more efiicient mass production salvaging and manufacturing of ammunition and like components.

In my inventive device I provide for the sideby-side, horizontal positioning of the components being fed to a machine, rather than the objectionable end-to-end positioning. By doing this V I am able, if so desired, to place many rounds, one upon the other, without any possibility of accidental firing of one round by another; and, at the same time, provide a copious supply of ammunition constantly available for use by the feed mechanism. Since it is invariably necessary for the rounds of ammunition to enter the manufacturing, or perhaps salvaging, machine in a vertical position, my loading device also effects the turning of the rounds through 90 from the horizontal position at the inlet (at readers right in the drawings) to the vertical position at the outlet end of the device (at the readers left).

Subsequent discussion of my invention will pertain. to its attachment to a hypothetical automatic machine, only pertinent parts of which will be shown.

For simplicity in drawing, the workpieces to be fed into the machine will be represented merely as cylindrical objects, such as drawn cartridge cases previous to heading or necking operations, although it must be understood that my device can be made to accommodate practically any size or shape of workpiece.

Figs. 1-2 show my mechanism to consist of a base ll having recesses l2 in whichone end of. Springs it rest. Mounted atop base plate ii and.

secured thereto by means of screws It (Figs. 2, 6) is a body i5 which is the foundation upon which my inventive device is built. As seen in Fig. 1,.

body 55 comprises a smaller, right-hand portion 55, having an opening ll, and a larger, steppedup, left-hand portion l8. Further details'of these parts are shown in Figs. 5-6-7.

Referring now to the smaller portion i Ei-of body l5 there can be seen (Figs. 1, 3, 5) a straight, hori- This larger portion l3, channel 253 begins to depart from the horizontal positionand, taking a helical path as it extends further to the left, gradually assumes a vertical position in-the top of the larger body portion it near the leftend of body it: (see Figs. 1, i, 5, 6 and 7).

through 90 from a horizontal position at the right end to a vertical position at'the left end. The distance required for helical portion 2! to turn through Q0" from horizontal 'to vertical depends upon the amount of twist desired for that part of channel 29. Another factor which governs that distance is the diameter of the work- 7 pieces 22 being moved through the channel, the required length having to be a multiple of the diameter and number of workpieces desired to be processed. through the channel per unit of time. Continuing from the left end of'helical portion- The just named helical portion iii of channel 26 therefore is seen to pass 2| to near the left end of the larger portion !8 of body i5 is a straight, vertical portion 23 of the channel 26 (see Figs. 4 and 7). Located near the left end of body l5 are a number of recesses 24 (one of which is shown in Fig. 4) slidably containing ball retainers 25 and springs 28. The inner end of the recesses 2 is so made as to allow the ball retainers 25 to protrude partly into the path of channel 2lis straight, vertical portion 23.

Ball retainers 25 and springs 26 are held in place by a cover 2'! which is secured to body l5 by means of screws 28. Adjacent the ball retainers 25 in body this a guide finger 29 (see Fig. 4) whose action presently will be explained.

Attached to the length of the smaller portion of body l5, by means of screws E-ll, is a side plate 31 (see Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive) containing a straight, horizontal channel 32 which aligns with the straight, horizontal portion E9 of channel 20 forming an opening 33 which slidably accommodates a pusher 34. Communicating from above with the pusher opening 33 is a passage 35 .(see Figs. 1 and 4) which is in alignment with a representative hopper 36 that restsatop the smaller.

portion and the side plate 8!. Hopper 35 has a flange 3? which is secured to side plate 3! and.

portion it; by means of screws 38.

A recess 39 in side plate 3i (see Figs. 1 and 2),.

and a recess is in body i5 (see Fig. 2), each contains a ball retainer 4! and each recess is so shaped at its upper end as to-allow the ball re-:

in alignment with the recesses 12 in the basev plate H.

At its left end pusher 34 is shaped as at 42 (see i Fig. 1) to contact the workpiece 22 properly .3 thereby preventing it and those workpieces ahead (to the readers left) frombecoming askew, and

Projecting l promoting proper feeding action from the lower surface of pusher 34 through opening ii in the smaller portion It of body 'I 5 is a lug (see Figs. 1 and3). 1 Connected tolug 43 by pivot pin 5 i and cotter pins 35 (see Fig. 3) are links 46. These links arell fastened to a lever ill at their opposite ends bya similar attachment. Lever shin turn, is secured by set screw 58 to a pivotpin 4.9 which is rotatably mounted in a bracket 56 located on machine 5| (only a portion of which is shown) by means'of'.

screws 52. The lower end of lever 4''! is connected to an operating memberit asby a cotter-pinned :1 pivot 54 (seeFig. 1). It should'be assumed that the operating member 53 is motivated by any conproduce teeterven'tional means (not shown) to ing movement of lever 41.

The above described novel feeding mechanism ..is removably secured as a unit te-the machine '51 Itwill thus" be appreciated that my unique device is adapt able to many uses, for it may be transferred from by means of screws 58' (see Fig. 1).

one machine to another, and larger or smaller units of my invention may be interchanged as the:

needs may require for a particular operation.

In describing the actual operation of my inventive feeding mechanism-for automatic ma- .1 chinery, I shall commence with the mechanism 5 understood to be devoid of workpieces 22 and to Recesses. 341T and representative hopper 36 in the correct side-byside position. The first piece slides by gravity down the throat 55, through the passage 35 and down into the straight, horizontal pusher opening 33. Here it is restrained from movement to the readers left by the ball retainers 4 l, and from movement to the right by the left end 42 of the pusher 34. The successive workpieces 22 now pile up Vertically in a side-by-side position in the hopper 36.

The entire machine 5| (shown partially), to which my feed mechanism is attached, is now motivated (by means not shown). Operating member 53 begins its motion toward the readers right, teetering lever 41 to the position indicated by the dotted line and causing the pusher 34, by virtue of its attachment to the lever 4l through links 46, to start moving to the readers left.

Pusher 34 contacts the first workpiece and moves it-to the left with sufficient force to overcome the force exerted by the springs I3 on the ball retainers 4| resulting in their depression into the recesses 39 and 40 (see Figs. 1-2) thus to allow the workpiece to pass by the ball retainers. In the meantime, too, the pusher 34 has closed off the bottom of passage 35, thereby supporting the workpieces above and preventing them from dropping into the straight, horizontal pusher opening 33. When the first workpiece is past the ball retainers 4| the pusher 34 has reached the extreme left of its possible travel.

Further operation of the machine causes the operating member 53 to teeter the lever 41 back toward its original position, resulting in motion of the pusher 34 back to its extreme right-hand position. This action, too, causes the indexing dial 56 of machine 51 to rotate a limited amount in a clockwise direction (see Fig. 4). Dial 56 contains a number of equally spaced wells5l, each shaped to accommodate a workpiece 22. During the limited rotation just mentioned, one well is moved out of alignment with the vertical portion 23 of groove 23 and another well is moved into alignment with that groove. More details of this phase of operation will be presented later.

As the pusher 34 continues its motion back to the extreme right-hand limit of its travel, it first passes clear of the ball retainers 41 which are forced by pressure of springs I3, out of recesses 39 and 40 until they project partly into the straight, horizontal pusher opening 33. In this position balls 4| prevent the next workpiece from passing thereby when it falls in front (to the readers left) of the pusher 34. During its travel to the right, pusher 34 also progressively unblocks passage 35. When the pusher 34 reaches the end of its travel to the right the passage 35, which contains a waiting workpiece, is fully unobstructed and the nextworkpiece falls by gravity into the pusher opening 33.

Continued operation causes a repetition of the cycle just described. In addition, the first workpiece which fell is pushed further along the groove 20 toward the readers left, gradually assuming a vertical position in preparation for delivery into a well 51 located in dial 56 of machine 5| (see Figs. 5, 6, and 7).

Ultimately, the first workpiece, now in a vertical position, contacts the ball retainers (see Figs. 1 and 4.) and is prevented thereby from dropping from the body 15 until the proper time. As another workpiece is pushed to the readers left from under the passage 35, this thrust is transferred from workpiece to workpiece along the groove 20 up to the ball retainers 25. Here 6 the force of springs 26 is overcome, the ball rtainers 25 are depressed into their respective recesses by the advancing workpiece, and the workpiece is pushed past the ball retainers 25. When thus freed, the workpiece is guided by finger 29 so'as to drop into a waiting Well- 51 of dial 56. Simultaneously springs 26 push the ball retainers 25 from their recesses 24 until they project again into the path of the next approaching workpiece.

Having received the workpiece, dial 56 again is rotated (by means not shown) a limited distance, as indicated in Fig. 4, carrying the workpiece away from my novel feeding mechanism and bringing an empty well into alignment with the feeding device in preparation for receiving another workpiece when it drops from the body [5.

Those skilled in the art will understand that there may be a number of fixed work stations spaced around the dial 56 according to the dials diameter and to thedistance between the wells 51, and that each time the dial comes to rest some manufacturing operation (e. g. drilling, boring, threading, forming, assembling, etc.)

ticular station. In other words, the intermittently moving dial carries each workpiece through a sequence of suchoperations, so that by the time the dial has made practicallyone revolution, each workpiece will have undergone a series of manufacturing steps befor being unloaded or removed from the dial as a final action. i

For simplicity of drawing and description none of the work stations nor activating mechanism thereof are shown, as same are well known to the prior art .and are not necessary to the operation nor illustration of my invention.

This description, for illustrative purposes only, has dealt with one application of my inventive feeding mechanism, but many variations are possible without departing from the spirit andscope of my broad concept. For instance, my device, instead of receiving the workpieces in a h0ri-- zontal position and feeding them in a vertical position, could receive the workpieces in a vertical position and feed them to a machine in a horizontal position. Since many variations are possible, I do not wish to be limited to the narrow confines of the application here disclosed.

From the foregoing it is evident that I have improved the efficiency of automatic machinery by providing an improved means of feeding the' machinery; that I have enhanced the safety factor of ammunition handling machines by removing the possibility of accidental explosion caused by improper contact of ammunition components with one another during the feeding operation; that I have provided a feeding device which will accommodate an adequate, uninterrupted supply of workpieces constantly available for delivery to the machine; that I have, by my feeding mechanism, reduced the number of personnel heretofore required in operating and attending auto matic machinery; and that I have made possible the handling of a greater number of workpieces per labor-time unit. i

I claim:

1. In a device for feeding longitudinally shaped components to a machine, .a hopper for containing the components and allowing them successively to drop out therefrom side by side, a main body mounted on the machine having in one portion a straight channel and continuous therewith a helically-twisted channel, a side plate secured to a lateral surface of said body and c0nis per- 3 formed upon the workpiece which is at a par- 7, taining a channel which merges and coacts with the straight channel-portion of the body to receive components dropped thereinto from said hopper, a spring-loaded ball retainer mounted adjacent the entrance to the bodys twisted channel for yieldably blocking passage of components thereby, a pusher member for moving compo nents fed by the hopper one by one past said ball retainer along the twisted channel of the body, whereby to cause the components that are posi tioned side by side in one plane upon emerging from the hopper tobe positioned side by side in :a difierent plane as required upon delivery to another part of the machine.

2. In a device for feeding longitudinally shaped components to a machine, a hopper for containing the components and allowing them successively to drop out therefrom side by side, a main body mounted on the machine having in one portion a straight channel and continuous therewith a helically-twisted channel, a side plate secured to a lateral surface of said body and containing a channel which merges and coacts with the straight channel portion of the body to receive components dropped thereinto from said hopper, a pusher member for moving components fed by the hopper one by one from the merged side plate and straight body channels along the twisted channel of the body, and a spring-loaded ball retainer mounted in said body at an exit end of the bodys twisted channel for maintaining the components in side-by-side contact within that channel until the moving force transmitted through a contiguous series of components by said pusher member is sulficient to enable one component after another to pass the retainer, whereby to cause the components that are positioned side by side in one plane upon emerging from the hopper to be positioned side by side in another plane as required upon delivery one by one to another part of the machine.

3. In a device for feeding longitudinally shaped components to a machine, a hopper for contain- 8 ing the components and allowing them succs' sively to drop out therefrom side by side, a main body mounted on the machine having in one portion a straight-channel and continuous therewith a helically-twisted channel, a side plate secured to a lateral surface of said body and containing a channel which merges and coacts with the straight channel portion of the body to receive components dropped thereinto from said hopper, a pusher member for moving components fed by the hopper one by one from the merged side plate and straight body channels along the twisted channel of the body, a springloaded ball retainer mounted in said body at an exit end of'the bodys twisted'channel for maintaining the components in side-by-side contact within that channel until the moving force is transmitted through a contiguous series of components by said pusher member is sufficient to enable one component after another to pass the retainer, and a finger member for guiding each component which passes the retainer to the machines next work station, whereby to cause the components that are positioned side by side in one plane upon emerging from the hopper to be positioned side by side in another plane as required upon delivery one by one to another part of the machine.

NORMAN H. BETGE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

' UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 636,005 SchulZe Oct.31, 1899 946,733 Phelps Jan. 18, 1910 1,252,562 Fassinger Jan. 8, 1918 1,290,163 Fuchs Jan. "7, 1919 1,401,687 Fogde Dec. 2'], 1921 1,815,029 Albertoli July 21, 1931 

